omalee until its services should be
absolutely indispensable. Immediately upon receiving the news he left
port, and on the 13th sighted the British fleet, then at anchor off
Porto Novo, a little south of Cuddalore. Upon his approach Hughes
moved off, and anchored again five miles from the besieged place. For
the next two days the French were baffled by the winds; but on the
17th the south-west monsoon resumed, and Suffren again drew near.
The British Vice-Admiral, not caring to accept action at anchor,
got under way, and from that time till the 20th remained outside,
trying to obtain the weather-gage, in which he was frustrated by the
variableness of the winds. Meanwhile Suffren had anchored near the
town, communicated with the general, and, being very short of men at
the guns, had embarked twelve hundred troops for his expected battle;
for it was evident that the issue of the siege would turn upon the
control of the sea. On the 18th he weighed again, and the two fleets
manoeuvred for the advantage, with light baffling airs, the British
furthest from shore.

On the 20th of June, the wind holding at west with unexpected
constancy, Hughes decided to accept the attack which Suffren evidently
intended. The latter, being distinctly inferior in force,--fifteen
to eighteen,--probably contemplated an action that should be decisive
only as regarded the fate of Cuddalore; that is, one which, while not
resulting in the capture or destruction of ships, should compel his
opponent to leave the neighbourhood to repair damages. The British
formed line on the port tack, heading to the northward. Suffren ranged
his fleet in the same manner, parallel to the enemy, and was careful
to see the order exact before bearing down. When the signal to attack
was given, the French kept away together, and brought-to again on
the weather beam of the British, just within point-blank range. The
action lasted from shortly after 4 P.M. to nearly 7, and was general
throughout both lines; but, as always experienced, the rears were
less engaged than the centres and vans. No ship was taken; no very
important spars seem to have been shot away. The loss of the British
was 99 killed, 434 wounded; of the French, 102 killed, 386 wounded.

As the ships' heads were north, the course of the action carried them
in that direction. Suffren anchored next morning twenty-five miles
north of Cuddalore. There he was sighted on the 22d by Hughes, who had
remained lying-to t